Fertility Fest 2018

[bananafish81]

Hi all

I was a long time poster on the infertility boards, throughout long and arduous fertility treatment

We sadly reached the end of the road, but I'm passionate about raising awareness about infertility and all the issues surrounding it.

I hope MN doesn't delete this post, because it's not trying to sell anything, just to raise awareness of an event that may be of interest to posters on this board

In 2 weeks time I'll be volunteering at Fertility Fest - the world’s first arts festival dedicated to fertility, infertility, modern families and the science of making babies.

It has three big aims.

1
To improve understanding of the emotional journey of people who struggle to conceive – because it’s hard and horrible – and we want there to be better patient care and outcomes for everyone whatever their fertility story, however it ends.

2
To improve the level of public discourse about reproductive science – what it can do, what it cannot do and how it’s affecting the way the human race is being made.

3
To improve fertility education – young people need to learn more than how ‘not to get pregnant’, they deserve a more rounded and robust understanding of human fertility so they have the best chance of creating the families they want in the future – with or without children, with or without reproductive science.

The festival does this by bringing arts and science together. Fertility Fest 2018 will involve 150 artists and fertility experts in a week-long programme of events, entertainment, discussion, debate, support and solidarity.

Come and join us! We know this stuff is difficult to talk about but you can just listen if you want to. It's important. It's how the human race is being made (and sometimes not) today.

I attended the first Fertility Fest two years ago - it was 48h after EC of my 3rd cycle, and having just had 28 eggs retrieved I resembled a beach ball. I was frantically checking my phone waiting for the update from the embryology lab, it was amazing to be part of such a supportive environment at that time.

The Fertility Fight Club sessions are also going to be streamed live on FB if you're interested but unable to attend

The festival got coverage on BBC breakfast earlier this week and also LBC - I'm delighted that these issues are getting discussed openly

Wishing you all the very best with your journeys and hope to see some of you there xx

Hi banana, not able to attend this due to holiday that week but think it's a wonderful thing and just wanted to say I will be thinking of you. I have always been grateful to you over the years and think it's a wonderful thing they have you and your strength and support.

Sounds amazing bananafish81 Thank you for sticking around the infertility boards and giving advice, it's always very much appreciated.

I'll have a good look at the programme in the morning - not sure if attending will make me cry! Feeling rather vulnerable at the moment but will see what's going on.

Thanks for letting us know x

Thank you for sharing Banana. I didn’t know about this event in previous years and wish I had as before I found the Infertility board on MN, I spent many years feeling alone and isolated. To bring something so intensely personal to the public domain can only help raise awareness and hopefully help even in some small way those that are suffering.

So so lovely to meet you blueroses! Was so wonderful to see you today, hope you got something out of the day xxx

Lovely to meet you too bananafish xxx

It was a thought provoking and sensitive event, and I’m very glad that I went. If anyone else has been/is there today, I hope you are also getting something out of it